SAG Awards Film Nominations 2019

Predictions

Best Film Ensemble

“I think it’s three and three,” Gold Derby managing editor Chris Beachum proclaims about the Emmy for Best Movie/Mini Lead Actor. “Three people have a really strong shot and I could debate which one it is, and the other three I don’t think have much of a chance. Not that they can’t do it as there’s always surprises,” Beachum says about his three frontrunners Darren Criss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Antonio Banderas. Beachum recently teamed up with senior editor Rob Licuria, the original Gold Derby duo, in a series of slugfests this week about all six lead acting races at the Emmys. Watch their lively discussion about Best Movie/Mini Actor above. Also watch our recently-published videos about Best Drama Actor, Best Drama Actress, Best Comedy Actor and Best Comedy Actress.

Banderas received his second career Emmy nod for his work on National Geographic’s “Genius: Picasso,” after his first nod back in 2004 for “And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself.” This is Criss’ first acting nomination after a nod in the music and lyrics category for his songwriting work on “Glee.” Cumberbatch has amassed six career Emmy nods, primarily for his work on the “Sherlock” series of TV films, and winning in 2014 for “Sherlock: His Last Vow.” Jeff Daniels received double nods this year, for his lead work on Hulu’s “The Looming Tower” and supporting work on Netflix’s “Godless.” He was also nominated three consecutive times for his lead role on “The Newsroom<” winning on his first nod in 2013. Singer/songwriter John Legend received his first acting nod for his role on NBC’s musical revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and Jesse Plemons received his second nod this year for “USS Callister (Black Mirror)” after his first nom last year for his supporting role on “Fargo.”

“I know why everyone’s predicting Darren Criss, that’s probably going to win limited series, and I could see it. It’s the best thing he’s ever done. But that’s part of the problem, they don’t go young,” Beachum argues. “They look for what’s the most transformative or the biggest film star,” he says. “I wonder whether they are going to give it to him, especially when you’ve got Benedict, who’s the biggest film star and who has won in a surprising way before for ‘Sherlock’ and his limited series is also in that competition and it’s very baity. Drug use, alcohol abuse, suicidal thoughts, it covers 30 years of time. That’s something the Emmy voters might want to go for.”

“This one is tough for me because it appears that the consensus is going with Darren Criss but you could make an argument for Benedict Cumberbatch or for Jeff Daniels, who have both won Emmys in the past,” Licuria argues. “But I’m actually deciding that at this point in time, I’m going with Jesse Plemons. I want to do that because ‘USS Callister’ was such an artistic achievement, it over performed at the Emmys for ‘Black Mirror’ and I remember back in the day, in 2011 when Barry Pepper won for ‘The Kennedys’ in this category over Idris Elba and Laurence Fishburne and William Hurt, and Barry Pepper was probably the least-known person in the category and no one was predicting him,” he says. “Jesse Plemons is probably the least known person in this category and his performance was extraordinary and for me it cannot be ignored.”